Local business getting the job done

For nearly a decade, TAG Group has been making a mark on Australia’s rail industry.

Well established in Victoria, the business has a growing presence in New South Wales and Queensland, delivering specialised lifting solutions all along the East Coast.

From humble beginnings, TAG Group’s fleet has grown over the years to 72 top-of-the-range machines – from hi-rail crane trucks to flatbed trucks, non-destructive digging (NDD) trucks, hi-rail elevated work platforms (EWPs) and more.

With a team of 150 skilled operators available for labour hire, the company has played a key role in delivering countless major projects – from Inland Rail to Victoria’s Level Crossing Removal Project and the Gippsland Line Upgrade.

Tim Bugeja, Managing Director of TAG Group, said the company has built a strong reputation for its commitment to quality, safety and reliability. He tells us more.

State-of-the-art equipment

Bugeja said that from the start, TAG Group has invested in high-quality new machinery.

“We went from one or two machines up to over 60 machines in the space of a couple of years, which was obviously very fast growth,” he said.

“I think one of the reasons we’ve stood out from our competitors is our modern equipment, which is always maintained to the highest standards.

“Good machines aren’t necessarily cheap, and cheap machines aren’t necessarily good. We’re trying to bring up the standards in the rail industry.”

For Bugeja, having spotless machines conveys the right messages to TAG Group’s customers, the rail industry and the community.

“We have a very high standard for how things look, how they work, how we operate,” he said.

“People say a dirty machine is a working machine – I disagree. The machine gets dirty and then you clean it. Every truck goes out polished. Our workforce wears the uniform proudly, they look respectable and it builds confidence.

“It shows that we care about the work we do, we care about our reputation and the reputations of our clients.”

TAG Group’s fleet boasts the largest hi-rail crane truck in Australia – the PKR, purpose-built to work around overheads.

“It’s got a 10-tonne lift on rail, which is huge, and it can lift over a four-track spread so you’re not hopping off-rail to set it up,” Bugeja added.

That machine is supported by a range of crane trucks of various sizes and a mobile fleet of EWPs to fit all three rail gauges in Australia – broad, standard and narrow.

“We’ve got telehandlers, trailers, transport solutions… everything you need to tackle all facets of rail projects from the ground up, from installing to maintenance, demolition and construction.”

All of TAG Group’s trucks are compliant across all networks, so there is no waiting around for approvals.

Preventative maintenance is also done in-house while machines are not in use.

“We invest a lot of money to ensure that our equipment is looked after and has longevity,” Bugeja said. “It keeps the team busy between projects, and it means the equipment is always ready to go – we have very few breakdowns. If there is a breakdown, we can send out a replacement machine straight away rather than trying to carry out repairs.

“Our services are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. If a customer has an urgent job, we can often provide what they need within an hour.”

TAG Group also uses technology to ensure efficient maintenance.

“We run all of our maintenance schedules digitally, so everyone knows what’s happening in real time – our pre starts, our maintenance, our servicing – every nut and bolt,” he said.

Safety first

Bugeja said TAG Group has a strong safety culture at all levels of the business.

“All of our hi-rail equipment has on-rail load charts and lifting charts, so they can operate with stabilisers or without stabilisers according to the chart,” he said. “That’s not something very many companies do.

“We’ve got fire suppression to work in tunnels, electrical lockouts to work under live [wires], we’ve got mechanical lockouts.

“Everything is double failsafe, and we’ve got all the bells and whistles in terms of safety camera systems.”

Bugeja said TAG Group’s operators are all trained in house, to the highest standards.

“We work very closely with our operators,” he said.

“We do lift studies with the team so before they go out to a site, they know what to expect and they have the confidence to stand their ground if a customer tries to veer from a safe path. We do internal ‘toolboxes’ where we’ll put on a barbecue and have a question-and-answer session.

“When it comes to safety, we do everything that needs to be done and more.”

Getting the job done

TAG Group is built on the promise of “getting in, getting the job done and getting out” as safely and efficiently as possible.

“We’re solutions-based,” Bugeja said. “We never have the attitude of just saying something can’t be done – we’ll always try to solve the problem.

“We manage our time efficiently, drawing on a wealth of knowledge from our experienced workers and management team.

“If you give us 12 hours to get a project done, we’re hitting that deadline. That’s our bread and butter.”